Low suburban voter turnout --- they won’t vote for progressive policies.

Marci McCarthy, chairwoman of the DeKalb GOP, said her party’s grassroots canvassing efforts in the suburbs have led conservatives to have a better idea what voters want. She said Tucker voters saw prominent Democrats pushing for Biro’s election solely because he leans left, which she said backfired.

“I think the Democrats have lost their way and have lost touch with voters,” McCarthy said. “It was a huge turnoff in the Tucker mayoral race when Robin Biro decided that he was going to run as a Democrat and was handpicked by chairman John Jackson of the DeKalb Democrats.”

Cobb Democrats believe their path to victory at the local level is getting voter turnout in off-year elections to match voter enthusiasm when presidential and gubernatorial candidates are on the ballot. Participation in Marietta’s mayoral race was only about a third of what it was last presidential election.

However, Cobb Republicans said the low turnout is thanks to progressive policies that aren’t popular in suburbia.

“I think the low turnout is attributable, in large degree, because of the progressive agenda and the attack on our American values,” Salleigh Grubbs, chairwoman of Cobb Republicans, said. “Who’s going to go to the ballot box to defend that?”

Kelly, who’s attempt to unseat Tumlin was unsuccessful, said she worries the tough losses suffered by Democrats in Atlanta’s suburbs could foreshadow a challenging 2022. She said “red flags” are there for those paying attention.

“We’re nonpartisan elections, but at the end of the day, I think partisanship did enter into our election,” Kelly said. “So I do think that if you’re reading the tea leaves, certainly it’s telling you something regarding what the midterm is going to look like in 2022.”